In the weeks leading up to Cardinal’s Retail Business Conference in Washington, D.C., from July 23 to 26, DSN talked with Steve Lawrence, Cardinal Health SVP Independent Sales, about independent pharmacy trends and how those trends are creating a bright future for the independent pharmacy community.

Nearly 8,000 attendees will converge in Washington, D.C., in July for Cardinal Health’s annual Retail Business Conference, which provides independent pharmacists and pharmacy franchise owners an opportunity to network with and learn from peers, as well as gain new insights into improving business effectiveness and efficiency.

More than a dozen of Walmart’s top merchants are in new roles following a realignment of responsibilities that chief merchandising and marketing officer Duncan Mac Naughton said is designed to recognize customers’ needs and serve them more efficiently.

Dollar sales for energy drinks were up 8.2% in drug stores for the 52 weeks ended Oct. 31, 2010, according to SymphonyIRI Group. Energy shot dollar sales in the channel fared even better, with sales surging nearly 12% for the same period.

Despite occasional controversy, demand remains strong for the beverages, and the segment is poised to become even more significant as its appeal broadens beyond its original target consumer group.

The Food Marketing Institute and the Grocery Manufacturers Association on Wednesday announced their support for a research study about how consumers use brand websites and how the use of these websites impacts shoppers’ in-store buying behavior.

MIAMI — With new leadership at the helm, Navarro Discount Pharmacy continues its goal of catering to the needs of the Hispanic community in the Miami area. Navarro is the largest Hispanic-owned drug store chain in the United States, with 28 locations that cater to the Hispanic market through their product offerings and services.

The company, which garnered about $320 million in sales in 2009, tapped in late 2009 former Bigg’s executive Steve Kaczynski to serve as CEO, and has since further bolstered its management team as part of its expansion strategy.

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association on Monday named Bill Head as the association’s VP government affairs, effective Jan. 17, and promoted David Spangler as the association’s SVP policy, general counsel and secretary, effective immediately.

Harris Interactive on Thursday released the 2010 results of the first annual "Youth EquiTrend" study, which asked 8-to-24-year-olds to rate brands on several key elements of brand equity, including familiarity, quality and purchase consideration.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — As Walmart’s U.S. stores division looks to execute a broad slate of initiatives in the coming year to recharge domestic growth, it does so under the leadership of a new chief executive and a restructured merchandising organization.

Functional beverages are moving to the next level. Sean Seitzinger, partner at Symphony Consulting of the SymphonyIRI Group, said that functional foods are one of the fastest-growing areas of the supermarket, recording 27% growth over the past three years. “Functional beverages, which comprise 63% of the category, are the center plate of that story,” Seitzinger said.

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SPECIAL REPORTS

Are we in the midst of a beauty revolution? Perhaps. It is no secret that the ever-changing beauty category is all about trends, but one could argue that we are embarking on an especially interesting time in beauty as technology is changing the way consumers shop and new innovations strive to break through the noise.

In this beauty report, Drug Store News takes a deeper dive into some of the leading trends that are reshaping beauty.more ...

IN THIS ISSUE

In this issue, DSN examines PricewaterhouseCoopers' "Top Health Industry Issues for 2015;" takes you on a tour of Murad, shares beauty trends and insights and delves into location-based technology and how it is revolutionizing health, retail.Click here to view the issue.